Fiscal Year 2023 Audited Financial Report Was Due Last Friday

MADISON – Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has missed the second required filing under the mutually agreed-upon Corrective Action Plan (CAP) resulting from MPS’s failure to file required financial reports to the state. The Fiscal Year 2023 Audited Financial Report was originally due on December 15, 2023. Under the Corrective Action Plan, the Report was due on September 13th, 2024.

“According to the Corrective Action Plan, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has monitored the ‘progress’ in filing this report twenty four times in the last three months. And MPS still hasn’t filed,” said Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine). “We’ve had no updates other than ‘they’re working on it.’ Well, working on something and getting something accomplished are two different things. Where is the urgency? Where is the accountability? Where are the consequences?”

The missed deadline was confirmed by an email from DPI to Senator Wanggaard’s office on Wednesday, three days after the report was first requested. Due to its size and economic conditions,

MPS is the largest recipient of state school aid in Wisconsin, receiving over $600 million in state funding. Because of the state school aid formula an error in, or the failure to file, a report has an effect on the state aid given to every other school district.

“MPS’s failure has a ripple effect on every other school district,” said Wanggaard. “This is a critical time for school districts, as they’re finalizing their budgets. Not having this information hurts the budgeting process of every district. School Districts need to know how much state aid they’re receiving. If MPS is receiving tens of millions less this year because of errors, that means tens of millions goes to other districts.”

Wanggaard also wondered why State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly isn’t letting the public know about the missing filings under the CAP.

“Dr. Underly should be letting the people know that MPS isn’t meeting their obligations, not me,” said Wanggaard. “The public and school districts deserve and need transparency and answers from the Superintendent, not more excuses.”

State Senator Van Wanggaard

Senator Wanggaard Press Release